Tele Vue TV-60 OTA

A Legacy Since 2003: The Hand-Built TV-60 APO

Introduced in 2003, the TV-60 continues Tele Vue's tradition of building compact, high-performance refractors. Founded in 1977 by Al Nagler, Tele Vue telescopes are built start to finish by a single technician in Chester, New York, with quality checks at several critical steps along the way.

Lens spacings are hand-tuned and the elements are rotated and positioned within the cell, which is how Tele Vue assures diffraction-limited performance. The TV-60's focuser is individually hand-fitted for a smooth, accurate focus action.

60mm f/6 APO Doublet Objective: 1.9 Arc-Second Resolution

The heart of the TV-60 is its air-spaced apochromatic (APO) doublet objective. The 60mm (2.4-inch) lens uses special dispersion glasses to produce color correction that far exceeds that of a classic f/15 achromat. This design delivers high-contrast images with virtually no false color, allowing you to see the true colors of stars and subtle details on planets.

With a Dawes limit of 1.9 arc-seconds, the TV-60 resolves fine detail that belies its small aperture. Its 73x aperture gain over the naked eye pulls in faint stars and nebulae, while the 360mm focal length provides a versatile platform for a wide range of magnifications. The two elements are critically aligned at the factory: never loosen the lock screws in the lens cell, as this affects collimation and voids the warranty.

The 1.25" Dual-Action Focuser: Push-Pull and Helical Control

The TV-60 features a unique and robust 1.25" dual-action focuser, hand-fitted for smooth and precise operation. This system combines a coarse push-pull draw tube for quickly reaching approximate focus with a rubber-gripped helical ring for fine adjustments. Set the fine focus ring halfway through its travel before you start: that leaves the most plus and minus fine-focus range once the draw tube is roughly in place.

A tension/lock screw on top of the focuser body allows you to add resistance to the draw tube's movement, preventing slippage when using heavier eyepieces or accessories. At the end of the draw tube, the diagonal lock screw tightens an internal brass clamp ring around the diagonal or erecting prism. Tele Vue also cautions against pumping the draw tube in and out quickly, which can pull dust into the telescope.

A 10-inch, 3 lb OTA with 77mm Filter Threads

Engineered for ultimate portability, the TV-60 optical tube assembly measures just 10 inches long and weighs approximately 3 lbs. The body is black anodized aluminum. With the optional custom-fitted soft case, the TV-60 is rugged enough for travel by land, sea or air.

A sliding, captive metal dew shield protects the objective from stray light and moisture. The end of the dew shield is threaded to accept standard 77mm photographic filters, which are recommended to protect the lens when observing in shore environments. For critical astronomical viewing, any installed filter should be removed to ensure maximum sharpness.

The Dovetail Balance Bar with 3 Tapped 1/4-20 Holes

The TV-60 is equipped with a captive dovetail balance bar that offers versatile mounting options. The bar features three 1/4-20 tapped holes, allowing it to connect directly to standard photographic and video tripods. An anti-rotation pin hole is also provided for compatible tripod heads.

For dedicated astronomical mounts, the bar fits Tele Vue's Tele-Pod and Panoramic mounts. A single balance bar lock screw allows you to slide the entire optical tube fore and aft to achieve perfect balance with different diagonals, eyepieces, or cameras. This system also allows the TV-60 to slip into the Tele Vue SCT Bracket (SBB-1002), which turns the TV-60 into a finder and rich-field accessory for a Schmidt-Cassegrain.

A 4.3° Field for Observing from 11x to 150x

The TV-60 excels at wide-field astronomical viewing. With a 32mm Plössl or 24mm Panoptic eyepiece, it delivers a 4.3° true field of view, wide enough to frame more than eight full moon diameters. This makes it an exceptional instrument for sweeping the Milky Way and observing large deep-sky objects.

• Low Power (11x - 20x): Use the 4.3° maximum field for sweeps of the Milky Way, large open clusters like the Pleiades (M45), the Beehive (M44) and the Double Cluster in Perseus (NGC 869 and NGC 884), and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31).
• Medium Power (40x - 80x): A 9mm Nagler Type 6 gives 40x, recommended for terrestrial and rich-field deep-sky viewing; planetary nebulae such as the Ring Nebula (M57) and the Dumbbell Nebula (M27) show well here.
• High Power (80x - 150x): The TV-60's APO optics provide sharp, high-contrast views of the Moon's craters, Jupiter's cloud bands, and Saturn's rings. It can also split close double stars such as Epsilon Lyrae, the "Double-Double."

10-Foot Close Focus and 60° Viewing Comfort

The TV-60 is not just for astronomy; it was designed with the compact size, ease of use and versatility of a top spotting scope. It focuses from infinity down to approximately 10 feet, which makes it a long distance microscope as much as a spotter for bird watching or water scenes. A multi-coated 77mm UV haze filter screwed into the dew shield protects the lens for daytime use.

For terrestrial viewing, the optional 60° Everbrite diagonal provides a more comfortable viewing angle than a standard 90° astronomical diagonal when looking toward the horizon. The image is correctly oriented top-to-bottom but reversed left-right. Stay under 70x when viewing over asphalt or any warm surface, or through an open window, because air currents degrade image steadiness and sharpness.

Afocal Imaging with the TV-60 and FoneMate

While designed primarily as a visual instrument, the TV-60 can be used for simple astrophotography. The easiest method is afocal imaging, where a camera is aimed directly into the eyepiece. This is ideal for capturing images of the Moon and bright planets.

The Tele Vue FoneMate smartphone adapter (SFA-0001) allows you to securely attach your cell phone to the eyepiece for afocal shots. For the best results, use a long eye-relief eyepiece like the 32mm Plössl.

From a 4.3° Eyepiece to a Qwik-Point Finder

Pointing the TV-60 is straightforward thanks to its wide field of view. By using a low-power eyepiece like a 32mm Plössl (11x) or 24mm Panoptic (15x), the telescope itself acts as its own finder, providing a 4.3° field to easily locate your targets before switching to higher magnification.

For even faster pointing, the optional Qwik-Point (QBT-1006) projects a red dot where the telescope is pointed. Its adapter block replaces two button head screws on the dew shield, so it can be rotated to any convenient angle and stays in the carry bag without being removed.

TVP-1250 and TVP-6012 Accessory Packages

Tele Vue offers two accessory packages, sold separately, that complete the TV-60. Both include a padded nylon soft carry case (13 x 9 x 4 inches, with die-cut foam for the tube, a diagonal and three small eyepieces), a Qwik-Point Basic red-dot finder and a 25mm Plössl eyepiece (14x, 3.4° true field).

The primary difference is the included diagonal, allowing you to optimize the system for your primary interest:

• TVP-1250 Package: Includes a 1.25" 90° Everbrite diagonal. With 99% reflection across the visual spectrum, it is Tele Vue's recommendation for astronomy.
• TVP-6012 Package: Includes a 1.25" 60° Everbrite diagonal. It is recommended for birding and spotting, as the 60° angle is more comfortable toward the horizon.

Tele Vue TV-60 vs. TV-76 and TV-85: Choosing Your Travel Scope

The TV-60 is the smallest and lightest of Tele Vue's APO doublet refractors, but it's part of a family of portable instruments, each with distinct advantages.

• Tele Vue TV-60: At 60mm aperture, f/6, 3 lbs, and 10" long, this is Tele Vue's smallest APO. Its 1.25" focuser and 4.3° maximum field make it a wide-field telescope and a spotting scope in one.
• Tele Vue TV-76: The TV-76 offers more light grasp with its 76mm f/6.3 objective. It's slightly longer at 14.5" and features a 2" focuser, enabling an even wider 5.5° maximum field with 2" eyepieces. It excels at wide-field deep-sky imaging, especially with its optional 0.8x reducer.
• Tele Vue TV-85: Often called the "Goldilocks" scope, the 85mm f/7 TV-85 provides a significant step up in resolution and light-gathering power while remaining carry-on portable. It is small enough to be an airline carry-on and birding scope and big enough to be your astronomy telescope, with a 4.4° maximum field.

For the most compact package and wide-field sweeping, the TV-60 is the one to pick. If your focus is more on deep-sky imaging or you want more aperture for high-magnification views, the TV-76 and TV-85 are compelling alternatives.